Impeller



March 6, 1928.

M. W. GREEN IMPELLQR Filed NOV. l'Z. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 6, 1928.-

M. w. GREEN IMPELLER Filed NOV. 17. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mans, 1928.

UNITED STATES MAURICE W.G-REEN, OF HAMPTON, VIRGINIA.

IMPELLER.

Application filed. November 17, 1926. Serial No. 148,901.

This-invention relates to certain improvements in impellers; and the nature and objects of the invention will be readily recognized and understood by those skilled in the arts involved in the light of the following explanation and detailed description of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I at present consider to be the preferred em bodiments or mechanical expressions of my 10 invention, from among'various other forms,

arrangements, combinations and constructions'of which the invention is capable within the spirit and scope thereof.

The present invention is more particularly i5 directed and deals with impellers for creating and establishing forces radial and tangential to the rotating impeller acting on and-in fluids for causing movement, or forcing flow, of a fluid such for example as in centrifugal machines of all types, among which may be mentioned centrifugal pumps, compressors, and'blowers', or for setting up flow in confined bodies of fluid as in machines of all types for stirring, mixing, agitating, and separating; and a main object of the invention is to materially increase the forces developed from and by such impellers without substantial increase in power input, and 'to thus increase and raise the general eificiency and results obtainable therewith, While maintainingsimplicity mechanically in the design and construction thereof.

It is well established and known that if a. cylinder-is rotated in a moving or flowing 3'5 fluid, forces are set up in'the fluid at angles.

to the direction of flow past the cylinder, and that these forces are many times greater than those established by a flat plate or blade of corresponding area in the flowing 4o fluid. Similarly, if a rotating cylinder is moved through a body of fluid, forces are set up in the fluid acting at angles to the path of movement of the cylinder. phenomenon is known as the'principle of the rotating cylinder, or the so-called Magnus effect, and a fundamental characteristic of this invention is the application and embodiment of this principle to and in im-. pellers, in order to thereby secure the in- 5o creased forces resulting therefrom and .an

increase-in the efficiency of operation and results obtained by such impellers.

A further characteristicof-the invention resides in the provision of'animpeller in which a series of rotary-members are car-' ried .by and disposed at spaced intervals This around the axis of rotation of the impeller,

for rotation around their individual axes,

tated around its axis carrying such cylinders therewith, and in which the rotating cylinders are so designed as to reduce and practically eliminate end losses therefrom in operation of the impeller in a fluid.

A still further characteristic of the invention resides in the design and arrangement of an impeller by which a series of cylinders disposed around the axis of rotation of, and

carried by, the impeller, are rotated around their individual axes as theimpeller is rotated around its axis through the medium of a fixed gear member which is constantly, operatively engaged by rotating gear members fixed on the rotating cylinders ofthe impeller.

With the foregoing and certain other objects and characteristics in view, which will be readily recognized from the following description, the invention consists in certain novel features in construction,,and in combinations and-arrangements of elements, as will be more fully and particularly referred to and specified hereinafter.

Referring'to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters refer to corresponding parts or elements throughout the several figures thereof:

Fig. 1, is a view inside elevation of an impeller embodying the principles and features of the invention as applied to a centrifugal machine of the .type for forcing flow for compressing a fluid, a" portion of the machine casing being broken away to show the impeller and thecylinderrotating means therefor. I Fig. 2, is a vertical, transverse section taken on the line 2 2, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a vertical section taken on line 3-3, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4, is a vertical line H, of Fig. 2.

A possible embodiment of the invention is disclosedin the accompanying drawings the section taken on the and described herewith, as applied to and incorporated in a centrifugal machine of the pump, compressor, or blower type for forcing or causing flow of fluids, but such embodiment and 'ada tation of the invention is presented pure y by way of example and not of limitation, for, the purpose of explaining and bringing forth the principles and features of the invention to enable those skilled in the art to understand the same. The invention is capable of embodiment in and adaptation to impellers generally as employed and utilized with all types and classes of centrifugal and other machines, devices or mechanisms for moving, compressing, agitating, mixing and ot er adaptations and embodiments are included in and contemplated by the present invention, as will be obvious to those familiar with the general and specific arts involved.

In the accompanying drawings, a centrifugal machine P, of the pump compressor, or blower type, is more or less iagrammatically shown, and includes the casing or housing 10 of the usual or any other desired type,

design, or construction, having'the side or axial intake 11, and the radial or lateral outlet or discharge 12. The casing or housing 10 opposite the intake 11 is formed with an opening therethrough which in the present instance is circular and of greater diameter than the intake, although in no sense so limited, and is normally closed'by a removable plate 14, suitably secured on and to casing 10 over the side opening therethrough and forming a part of the casing side wall, as will be clear by reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, in particular. The side plate 14 is formed and provided with a shaft journal or bearing 15, in axial alinement, in this instance, with the intake 11, for rotatably receiving and mounting an impeller shaft 16, which extends inwardly through and across housing or casing 10 in axial alinement withand terminating at its free end adjacent the intake 11 (see Fig. 2). The outer end of shaft 16 is suitably coupled or connected with a source of power (not shown) for rotating the shaft, and in the example hereof, a pulley 17 is shown by which the shaft can be rotated in the usual manner well understood in the art.

An impeller embodyin the principles of the invention is mounted on the shaft 16 within housing 10 for rotation by the shaft to draw fluid into the housing through intake 11, and force the fluid outwardly from the housing under pressure through the outlet or discharge 12. In the particular form and mechanical expression presented herewith as an example," an impeller of the invention includes spaced spiders 18 fixed on and to the impeller shaft 16 within the housing 10,

treatments of fluids, and such other one spider 18 adjacent to the removable plate 14 and the other at the end of the shaft at and adjacent the intake 11. The spiders 18 each embody the radially disposed spokes or disposed on shaft 16, so that these arms are in alinement or opposite each other, respectively; The spider 18 adjacent the intake 11 at the end of shaft 16 is provided with the rim 19 around and connecting the spokes 19 thereof, although the invention is not limited to such rim or to the spider design and arrangement specifically shown.

According to the bead principles of the invention a series of members or rotors are mounted and disposed at spaced intervals around the axis of rotation of the impeller, in this instance the shaft 16, for rotation in and through a circular path by and with the impeller, and for independent rotation around their individual axes. These rotatable members or rotors in the present example, are in the form of cylinders 20 disposed at spaced intervals'around the impeller, spaced from and substantially parallel with the impeller shaft 16, that is, with their longitudial axes parallel with the axis of rotation of the impeller, and each rotor or cylinder 20 is rotatabl mounted in and extending between a spo e or arm 19 of spider 18 adjacent side plate 14, and the rim 19 of the opposite spider 18 adjacent intake 11, as will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings. The rotors or cylinders 20 may be formed hollow, as shown b the drawings in o'rder to reduce the weig t thereof to a minimum, although not limited in any way to such formation, and are provided with the opposite end stub shafts 21 securely pressed and fastened into the ends and rotatably journaled in the spiders 18, the arms 19 of one spider, and the rim 19 of the opposite spider, as shown clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Each rotor or cylinder 20 is for metl with the opposite endradial flanges orend plates 22, see particularly Fig. 2 of the drawings, through the medium of which a further object of the invention is accomplished in the elimination and reduction of end losses from the rotors or cylinders 20 with the impeller rotating these cylinders in a circular path while they are rotated on their individual axes through a fluid, as will be referred to more fully hereinafter.

with the impeller embodying rotors or cylinders 20 mounted as above described, by rotatlng the impeller shaft 16, the cylinders 20 are moved thereby through a cirgmlar path around the axis of rotation of the impeller (shaft 16) within the housing 10, and in carrying out the principles of the invention to obtain the objects and results therefrom, the rotors or cylinders 20 are arms 19, and are mounted and rotated independently and individually:

around and on their longitudinal axes, respectively. Thus, rotation of cylinders 20 around their individual axes can be accomplished in accordance with the invention in a variety of ways by numerous means and mechanisms, but for purposes of example one possible arrangement of means for accomplishing this rotation is presented and de-.

its toothed periphery extends around the' spider 18 adjacent thereto and in proximity to the adjacent stub shafts 21 of the rotors or cylinders 20of the impellers. The cylinder or rotor stub shafts 21 adjacent the fixed gear 23 are extended beyond the spider spokes or arms 19 over the gear, and the extended end of eachstub shaft 21 is pro-' vided with 'a gear or pinion 24 fixed thereon and in operative mesh and engagement with the fixed gear 23. Thus, as the impeller is rotated the cylinders 20 move in a circular path with the pinions 24 engaging gear 23 and rolling .around thetoothed periphery thereof, which causes rotation of the rotors or cylinders 20 around their individual axes,'as they are rotated in fixed relation around the axis of rotation (shaft 16) of the impeller. It is preferable to have the rate of rotation (if the rotors or cylinders 20 around their individual axes such that the peripheral velocity will be several timesgreater than the velocity of the rotors in the circular path around the axis of the impeller, so that the diameter of the rotors is made greater than the diameter ofthe pinions 24 rotating the same, in order to secure this result. However, this ratio is dependent upon the particular conditions of each embodiment and installation of impeller of the invention,'and is not limited to any particular ratio, as will be obvious.

In operation, assuming for example that the machine as shown is to be utilized as a blower or air compressor, the impeller shaft 16 is driven from any suitable or desired source of power (not shown), which preferably rotates the impeller in the direction shown by the arrows in Figs. 1, 3 and 4,.to move the rotors or cylinders, 20 through a circular path around the shaft 16' within the housing 10, and concentric with the intake 11. The rotation of the impelleraby shaft 16 causes the rotors or cylinders 20 to be rotated in the direction shown by the a r rows in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, around the r indirelation through the circular path, through the medium of the cylinder pinions 24 in constant mesh with the fixed gear 23. Now, air, or other fluid is drawn into the housing 10 through the intake 11 and inside of the fimpeller, by rotation of the impeller due to the circular motion of the rotorsand their individual rotation around their respective axes, and is thrown or forced outwardly from the impeller in the direction of rotation thereof, so that pressures are setup around the cylinders causing the air, or other fluid, to be drawn or forced from the center of the impeller to the periphery thereof, the air passing over the rotating cylinders 20, which results. in the establishment of large radial and tangential forces which act on the air, or-other 'fiuid, forcing or moving the same around and through the housing and outwardly therefrom under pressure through the outlet or discharge 12.

The action of the rotors or cylinders 20 rotating on their individual axes as they are moved through the circular path in fixed relation, establishes greatly increased radial and tangential forces with increase in performance and efficiency of the machine, end

losses from the rotors being eliminated substantially'by the end flanges or plates 22, in which such an impeller is installed and operated, .as will be readily recognized and understood by those skilled in the art.

Attention is here directed to the fact that the'arms 19 of the spider 18 adjacent the intake 11,. can, if desired, be formed and designed as blades to assist the inflow of fluid through the intake, as shown particularly by Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

While in the embodiment of the impeller of the invention shown herewith, the rotors 20 are shown'as supported at opposite ends between the spaced spiders or supporting frames 18, the invention contemplates and includes the elimination'of the support or spider 18 at the free end of shaft l6 adjacent the intake 11, and the provision of pro-per beari'ngsat the opposite ends of the rotors to rotatably support the same.- In this manner the intake 11 1s unobstructed to free passage of'fluid; The impeller with the free ends unsupported and unobstructed, is particularly adapted for use in stirring, agitating, separating, mixing, or other treatment of fluids where it is desired to secure movement in a radial direction to the axis of the impellr in a body of fluid. The impeller can be mounted with the free ends of the rotors extending into the fluid, and unobstructed by tors, as will be readily understood. From the foregoing, it will be clear that the principles and various features of the invention vidual axes as they are moved in fixed spaced :are capable of embodiment in impellers gendevices where it is desired to set up radial, tangential or similar forces and movements in and of fluids, and that when so embodied a material increase in efliciency results.

It is also evident that various changes, substitutions, variations and modifications might be resorted to, without departing from the spirit and sco of my invention, and hence I do not desire to limit myself to the exact and specific disclosures hereof.

Desiring to protect my invention in the broadest manner legally possible, what I claimtand desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In combination, a housing, an impeller including a drivin shaft therefor rotatably mounted in the %10using, a fluid intake through said housing tric with the impeller, said impeller embodying a series of cylindrical rotors mounted and supported in spaced relation on and around said shaft with their axes substantially parallel with the shaft axis, means for rotating said rotors around their individual axes as they are moved through a circular path around the impeller axis, and a support on the shaft for the ends of said rotors adjacent the housing intake, said support providing blade members for assisting flow of fluid through the intake, and said housing provided with a fluid discharge disposed substantially tangentially with respect to saidimpeller.

2. In combination, a housing, an impeller including a shaft rotatably disposed in the housing, said housing formed with a fluid intake substantially concentric withthe impeller, said impeller embodying a series of rotors mounted and supported on and around said shaft spaced therefrom, means for rotating said rotors around their individual axes as they are moved through a circular with around the impeller axis, the housing forming a fluid circulating passage around the impeller charge outlet substantially tangentially disposed with respect to the impeller axis.

3. In combination with a spiral housing havin a side inlet and a substantially tangentia outlet, an impeller including an imellershaft disposed in said housing with its axis of rotation substantially concentric with said housing inlet, the said im eller embodying rotors spaced from aroun the shaft with their axes of rotation substantially parallel therewith and moved in circular path by rotation of the impeller, means for rotating said rotors around their individual axes as they are rotated in the circular path with the-impeller, and the said housing extending around the impeller spaced from said rotors to form a passage therearound for free movement of fluid from the impeller to said housing outlet.

4. The'combination with an impeller emupon by said rotors,

substantially concenand provided with a fluid distating said rotors around vidual axes as they move through the circular path, of a housing around the impeller so designed and disposed with respect thereto as to provide a passage therearound and permit of free circulation of fluid inwardly and axially of, then. outwardly and radially over and to be acted and then around and between the impeller and housing as and in the direction the impeller is rotated in said housing. I

5. In combination, a housing, an impeller mounted in the housing, said impeller embodying a series of rotors dis osed around the axis of rotation of the impe ler for movement therearound in a circular path, means for rotating the rotors around their individual axes as the are movedthrough the circular path with the impeller, and the said housing providing for intake of fluid therein substantially transversely to the plane of rotation of the impeller, and for discharge of fluid therefrom approximately parallel to the plane of rotation of the impeller.

6. In combination, a housing, an impeller mounted in the housing, said impeller embodying a series of rotors disposed in spaced relation around and spaced from the axis of rotation of the impeller, means for rotating' said rotors around their individual axes as they are moved through a circular path around the impeller axis, said housing forming a fluid circulating passage around the impeller and provided with a fluid intake adjacent an end of the impeller and a fluid discharge from'said circulating pasthrough the impeller sage.

7. The combination with an impeller embodying rotors spaced from and around the axis of rotation of the impeller for movement therearound through a circular path as the impeller is rotated, and means for rotheir individual axes as they move through the circular path of a housing around the impeller so designed and disposed with respect thereto as to permit'of free circulation of fluid inwardly and substantially axial] of then outwardly and substantially radially through the impeller over and to be acted upon bv said rotors, and then around and between the impeller and housing as and in the direction of impeller rotation, the said housing provided with a fluid intake adjacent an end of said impeller, and a discharge from the housing for the fluid circulated around and between the housing and impeller.

a series of rotors in spaced relation around the axis of rotation of the impeller, means for rotating said rotors around their individual axes as they are revolved in a circular path with the impeller, and a housing for the impeller forming a fluid circulating passage around the impeller, the said housing having a fluid inlet thereto, and a fluid discharge from the passage around the i1npeller.

9. In combination, an impeller embodying approximately cylindrical and substantially smooth surfaced rotors in spaced relation around and from the axis of rotation of the impeller, means for rotating said rotors around their individual axes as they are moved through a circular path around the impeller axis, and a housing for the impeller forming a passage therearound for circulation therethrough by rotation of the impeller and rotors of fluid thrown outwardly from and in the direction of rotation of the impeller.

10. In combination, an impeller embodying, a series of approximately cylindrical and substantially smooth surfaced rotors in spaced relation around and from the axis of rotation of the impeller, means for rotating the said rotors around their individual axes as they are revolved in a circular path with the impeller, and a housing for the impeller forming a fluid circulating passage therearouncl between the housing and impeller.

Signed at Hampton, Virginia, this 12 day of November, 1926.

- MAURICE W. GREEN. 

